Disney parks chief will take over for Bob Iger as CEO
[February 04, 2026] By
MICHELLE CHAPMAN
Disney has named its parks chief Josh D’Amaro to succeed Bob Iger as the
entertainment giant's top executive.
D’Amaro will become the 9th CEO in the more than 100-year-old company's
history. He has overseen the company’s theme parks, cruises and resorts
since 2020. The Experiences division has been a substantial moneymaker
for Disney, with $36 billion in annual revenue in fiscal 2025 and
185,000 employees worldwide.
The 54-year-old takes over a time when Disney is flush with box-office
hits like “Zootopia 2” and “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and its streaming
business is strong. At the same time, Disney has seen a decline in
foreign visitors to its domestic theme parks. Tourism to the U.S. has
fallen overall during an aggressive immigration crack down by the Trump
administration, as well as clashes with almost all of country's trading
partners.
D'Amaro will be tasked with tapping into Disney's vast collection of
intellectual property to help create successful movies and theme park
additions, while also pushing for streaming growth and continuing to
build up its sports business.
The decision on the next chief executive at Disney comes almost four
years after the company's choice to replace Iger went disastrously,
forcing Iger back into the job.
Only two years after stepping down as CEO, Iger returned to Disney in
2022 after a period of clashes, missteps and a weakening financial
performance under his hand-picked successor, Bob Chapek.
Disney meticulously and methodically sought out its next CEO this time.
The company created a succession planning committee in 2023, but the
search began in earnest in 2024 when Disney enlisted James Gorman, who
is currently Disney's chairman and previously served as Morgan Stanley's
executive chairman, to lead the effort. That still gave it ample
opportunity to vet candidates, as Iger agreed to a contract extension.
Disney said that Iger will continue to serve as a senior adviser and
board member until his retirement from the company at the end of the
year.
While external candidates were considered, it was widely expected that
Disney would look internally for the next CEO. The advantage would be
that Disney executives were already being mentored by Iger, and had
extensive contact with the company’s 15 board members, of which Iger is
a member.
Disney is unique in that its top executive must oversee a sprawling
entertainment company with branches reaching in every direction, while
also serving as an unusually public figure.
D’Amaro and Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Dana Walden quickly emerged
as the front-runners for the top job.
[to top of second column] |
This undated photo provided by The Walt Disney Company shows Josh
D’Amaro. (The Walt Disney Company via AP)
 D’Amaro, who has been with Disney
since 1998, has been leading the charge on Disney’s multiyear $60
billion investment into its cruise ships, resorts and theme parks.
He also oversees Walt Disney Imagineering, which is in charge of the
design and development of the company’s theme parks, resorts, cruise
ships, and immersive experiences worldwide. In addition, D’Amaro has
been leading Disney’s licensing business, which includes its
partnership with Epic Games.
“Throughout this search process, Josh has demonstrated a strong
vision for the company’s future and a deep understanding of the
creative spirit that makes Disney unique in an ever-changing
marketplace," Gorman said in prepared remarks. “He has an
outstanding record of business achievement, collaborating with some
of the biggest names in entertainment to bring their stories to life
in our parks, showcasing the power of combining Disney storytelling
with cutting-edge technology.”
In her most recent role as co-chairman of Disney Entertainment,
Walden has helped oversee Disney’s streaming business, along with
its entertainment media, news and content businesses. She joined
Disney in 2019. Before that, Walden spent 25 years at 21st Century
Fox and was CEO of Fox Television Group.
Walden will now step into the newly created role of president and
chief creative officer of The Walt Disney Co. She will report to
D'Amaro.
“I think if you think about what is the heart of the Disney company,
it’s the creativity. It’s this amazing IP that’s been produced over
decades, going back to Walt, and the storytelling that comes from
that creativity. And I think Dana, working with Josh and ensuring
that the best creativity permeates all of our businesses, is what we
wanted,” Gorman said in an interview with CNBC.
There had been speculation that Disney might go the route of naming
co-CEOs, a move that has started to become more popular with
companies. Oracle and Spotify are among those who named co-CEOs in
2025.
D’Amaro and Walden's appointments are effective on March 18.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
